First Christian Church serves dinner to more than 1,000

“We’ve pulled off crazier ideas,” Pastor Jim Borton explained as he surveyed the dining room full of people seated in the basement of his church. Based purely off his parishioners’ donations and time, the members of First Christian Church were able to serve 1,200 meals for their annual Thanksgiving dinner, and it looked like they were going for a record again Wednesday.

By Meghan Millea

Times Reporter

By Meghan Millea

Posted Nov. 23, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 23, 2012 at 11:12 PM

By Meghan Millea

Posted Nov. 23, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 23, 2012 at 11:12 PM

NEW PHILADELPHIA

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“We’ve pulled off crazier ideas.”

Pastor Jim Borton surveyed the dining room full of people seated in the basement of his church. Based purely off his parishioners’ donations and time, the members of First Christian Church were able to serve 1,200 meals for their annual Thanksgiving dinner, and it looked like they were going for a record again Wednesday.

It was barely past 1 p.m. and already Borton could tell the 21st annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner was going to be a hit. The church had nearly 100 volunteers to serve 29 turkeys, 200 pies and cases of mashed potatoes, corn and stuffing, to men and women of all ages — and from all walks of life.

Borton and his assistant, Kathy Rentsch, got involved with the community dinner 12 years ago.

The meal was originally organized by Tom Lewis and held in Louie’s Locker Room in downtown New Philadelphia for the first nine years. Lewis got sick 10 years ago and asked for help.

That’s when Borton and Rentsch took over the event.

“That first year we had two weeks notice to the whole church. Everyone was like ‘Oh yeah, I’m in,’ ” Borton recalled.

The meal is now part of the church’s Christmas outreach.

“We talk about doing things that are bigger than ourselves. Loving God, loving people and just making a difference. A lot of people think ‘That’s a theology I can understand. I can do it,’ ” Borton said.

The dinner has come a long way in 12 years, Rentsch said. Initially, food and funding came from various businesses but later the 400-member church took over. The first year they hosted the meal there were only 500 people present. Now there are at least 1,200.

“We’ve expanded where we do home deliveries,” she said.

There will be nearly 200 deliveries this year, Rentsch said.

Borton said he likes to see so many people come to the meal, which began at 11 a.m. and ended at 6 p.m. He pointed out the small clusters of college students surrounded by groups of senior citizens, and business men and women visiting on lunch breaks, laughing and carrying on as they ate.

Borton said there’s a lot of reasons people enjoy visiting, but, mainly, it’s an opportunity to reach out to others.

“I think there’s a lot of isolation in our culture,” he said.

Borton said the holiday can be difficult for many, especially the elderly. “Thanksgiving is pretty complicated for them. It’s an opportunity for them to come and hang out.”

Many of those dining Wednesday also enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with old friends.

Nancy Hagopian has enjoyed the tradition for years, she said. She attended with her lifelong friend, Lana Earle, and met with friends, Wendy Garver and Dorthy Mills.

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“When you’re in a church it’s like a family,” Hagopian said. “I’ve grown old with these people and they’re my dear friends.”

Her friends shared her sentiment, including Dorthy Mills, who turns 91 next month. “I look forward to coming. I get to see everyone. I get a good feeling coming here.”

Sitting across the room were a group of college students, home for a quick break. Among them were Kim Rippeth, 19, and friends Emily Parrish, also 19, and Parrish’s sister, 22-year-old Lindsey, and Borton’s son, Joel, 19.

“We’ve been coming since middle school,” Rippeth recalled. “We used to help clean up with the youth group.”

This year, she wasn’t involved in cleaning. “I was just the bringer of the pumpkin pie,” she said.

While she brought two of the 200 pumpkin pies at the event, she was excited to be back among friends.

That’s what Borton and Rentsch were hoping to see.

“It crosses a lot of bridges between community groups,” Borton said. He said the biggest aspect of the meal is relationship building.

“The dinner,” he said, “is just a platform for everyone to get together.”